Thinking [anyone!]

[Fallentear ||]

The drought had made Rageclan bleak. Nothing remained but sparse trees and shrubs here and there.

Not much for concealment.

But the dark tabby that slunk across the shadowy ground was an expert at stealth. Halting momentarily, he lifted his head and straightened his legs a bit out of his crouch. His presence was suddenly noticed. A few birds burst from a nearby tree with harsh chirps of protest. The sudden breaking of the silence whipped the tom's head around, and he watched the two doves float away over the treetops with wide eyes. Calming down and lowering his body to the ground again, he crept on towards Lightning Rock, which he could now see through the shrubbery.

One, two, three bounds and he had hared his way over to the rock in a flash and was atop a small boulder. It all happened so quickly that it looked like black and silver water rippling onto the large stone. Leaning his head back and looking up, he beheld the big rock.

Not quite as big as he remembered it though. As a kit, he'd climbed to the top with Shadepaw. Shadepaw. He sighed. He missed the fiery apprentice that he'd known since he was little. He hadn't seen her in moons. Hopefully she hadn't ran off because of her little problem...

With thoughts of the black she-cat in his mind, he began to the long ascent to the top of the rock. He hauled himself up stone after stone, and his paws slipped occasionally. He always caught himself though, determined to reach the top.

Maybe not as graceful as his approach and first leap, but he eventually reached the peak. He walked to the point of the rock and sat, lifting his head to let the breeze ruffle the fur on his face. He let Shadepaw swirl around in his mind before letting the thoughts be pushed aside for more important ones. Like how the clan would be fed in this drought. He exhaled loudly, looking out over the trees and all the way to the horizon. He imaginedhe saw a tiny gray line there, almost like storm clouds approaching...

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